Wednesday, 11 July 2012

The Olympic Rings in Richmond Park

I don't know if you've seen a photograph of the Olympic Rings in Richmond Park, but they have been mown into the grass and should be visible to aeroplane passengers who are about to land at Heathrow.

I saw a photograph the other day and thought they looked superb. My daughter had finished school for the summer holiday at lunchtime today, and the picnic we had gone to came to a hasty halt after a torrential rain shower. I had two of her friends for a play date and so thought that rather then heading straight home we would drive to the park to see the rings.

Fortunately the sun began to shine again, and when we found the rings I was delighted to see that two of the Shire Horses were out trimming the grass.

I parked the car, checked the sky and we walked up to the rings. We paused to look at the horses and the gentlemen who are working with them very kindly stopped and allowed the girls a chance to pet the horses.

It was lovely to see these little people patting those huge, gentle, majestic creatures, and I was so impressed with their tolerance and placidness. They are amazingly beautiful and strong beasts, and I for one now have two new loves in my life, these horses are wonderful.

Once again please accept my apologies for less then perfect photographs, I did have three 6 year olds, and had to keep an eye on them, I didn't want them getting under the feet of these handsome chaps! And the light was tricky, so the fact that I managed to get any photographs taken at all is amazing.

Aren't they handsome?Their blinkers have a Royal Parks emblemso these really are Royal Shire Horses

Despite their huge size, they were the gentlest of creatureswhen I compare them to the ponies that mydaughter rides

Just to give an idea of their vast size

Watching them working in the distance

Calmly mowing the grass

The rings are wide, the girls had a lovely timerunning around them

You can see them stretching out into the distance

The curves are perfect and edges so neat

A perfect afternoon

All four of us were delighted to have met these fantastichorses

Here's a link to an article in the local paper, which will give you more background to the rings, as well as an ariel photograph, and if you're coming from abroad for the sports do remember to get a window seat!